Palestinian Christian Arab Elected to Lead the Presbyterian Church

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is pleased to announce that Reverend Fahed Abu-Akel, a Palestinian Christian Arab from Kuffer-Yassif, Galilee, Israel and presently a minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, has been elected by 296 votes as Moderator of the 214th General Assembly of the 2.5 million member Presbyterian Church of the United States. In this position, Reverend Abu-Akel will lead the Presbyterian Church in the United States for the next year. Reverend Abu-Akel is a cofounder of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation’s Committee in Atlanta Georgia. HCEF takes this opportunity to congratulate Reverend Abu-Akel for the honor that his peers in the Presbyterian Church bestowed on him.

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF)*Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palestinian Christian Arab Elected to Lead the Presbyterian Church

The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is pleased to announce that Reverend Fahed Abu-Akel, a Palestinian Christian Arab from Kuffer-Yassif, Galilee, Israel and presently a minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, has been elected by 296 votes as Moderator of the 214th General Assembly of the 2.5 million member Presbyterian Church of the United States. In this position, Reverend Abu-Akel will lead the Presbyterian Church in the United States for the next year. Reverend Abu-Akel is a cofounder of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation’s Committee in Atlanta Georgia. HCEF takes this opportunity to congratulate Reverend Abu-Akel for the honor that his peers in the Presbyterian Church bestowed on him.

Reverend Abu-Akel immigrated to the United States in 1966 and became an American citizen 1981. He is one of eight children of Christian Palestinian Arab parents. Reverend Abu-Akel relates that his parents memorized the scripture and instilled in all their children the love of the Gospel and Jesus Christ. Two Scottish ministers, who lived in the same house in his home village, were important influences on his decision to become a minister himself. He attended the Columbia Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1978. Reverend Abu-Akel founded the Atlanta Ministry with International Students, an ecumenical ministry of friendship and hospitality which now ministers to 5,500 international students from 140 nations studying in 22 metropolitan Atlanta colleges and universities. He also served as mission staff of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta from 1980 to 2001 and helped his congregation develop a focus on international missions in Haiti, Kenya and Brazil.

As a Palestinian Christian Arab, Reverend Abu-Akel grew up in Galilee in the midst of both Muslim Arabs and Jewish Israelis. Through this experience, he grew to understand and respect the Islamic and Judaic cultures, languages and religions. Since he was a member of a Christian minority, interfaith relationships and tolerance were part of his everyday life. His early life experiences grew into a ministry of friendship and hospitality with Atlanta’s international students. These students came from all over the world and were of many different faiths. Reverend Abu-Akel believes that the microcosm of Atlanta’s international student population represents the greater universe of all people in the world. Interfaith understanding begins with a thorough understanding of Christian faith. Living in a pluralistic world obligates man to create within himself the mission of tolerance and understanding so that Jesus Christ’s message of love and peace will flourish among all people.

Reverend Abu-Akel is a representative of the “forgotten faithful,” Christians of the Holy Land who have had a continuous presence in the Holy Land since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago. HCEF is engaged in a number of projects that provide hope and support for the beloved Holy Land Christians. HCEF encourages Christians to remain in the Holy Land in order to maintain a Christian legacy in the land where Christianity was born. HCEF provides funds received from donors to support education of Christian children. HCEF also encourages pilgrimage to the Holy Land and has thus far arranged two Christian pilgrimages during 2002. Military occupation and the Intifada have resulted in the collapse of the tourist and handicrafts industries in the Holy Land. HCEF creates markets in the United States for olive wood and mother of pearl handicrafts produced by the 40-50 family workshops in the Bethlehem district. Most importantly, HCEF is creating awareness of the plight of Holy Land Christians and informs Americans about the impact that military occupation has had on the spiritual, social and economic lives of all Palestinians living in the land where the Prince of Peace was born, taught and died.

The Holy land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is an all-volunteer 501c3 organization with the mission of informing Americans about the ongoing plight of Christians in the Holy Land and provides humanitarian assistance to relieve suffering, educational support and assists in job creation.* The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is a tax exempt, non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of Christians in the Holy Land by developing bonds of solidarity with Christians in the United States. HCEF, PO Box 6687, Silver Spring, MD 20906. (301) 951-9400, Fax (301) 951-402. www.hcef.org. email: news@hcef.org, Toll Free (866) 871-4233